SELF-ASSEMBLIES IN CHEMISTRY
Zoran Štefanić, Biserka Kojić-Prodić, Janja Makarević, Milan Jokić &
Mladen Žinić
Rudjer Bošković Institute, Bijenička c. 54, POB 180, HR-10002 Zagreb,
Croatia
Strong and weak hydrogen bonds, as intermolecular interactions,
play one of the key roles in determining molecular conformations and
molecular aggregation of small molecules but also macromolecules. The
interplay of hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions with highly directional
hydrogen bonds provides a basis for self-assembly.
Hydrogen bond is the governing force in the organisation of
molecules in the crystalline state but also in the solution. It contributes to
the formation of supramolecular species having different properties to those
of the basic building units. Hydrogen bonding also participates in a proton
transfer during catalytic activity of enzymes and, in general, hydrogen
bonds should be considered as incipient proton transfer reactions.
The formation of one-, two- and three-dimensional hydrogen bonded
assemblies of modified amino acid derivatives is studied by X-ray structure
analysis. Systematic analysis of hydrogen bonding patterns as a function of
proton donor and acceptor properties, and sterical parameters will be
presented for a large number of bis(amino acid)oxalyl and phthaloyl acid
derivatives. Particular attention will be given to the molecular topology of
such supramolecular assemblies.